{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/135464"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/135464","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Evaluating a Residential EE Program through a Holistic Lens","abstract":"This study aimed to investigate how components of a residential environmental education (EE) program in Maryland USA influence identity development and inspire adolescent youth. Negotiating identity is a key feature of adolescence. However, limited research has focused on how EE programs provoke meaning that influences identity and inspiration. Our mixed methods approach explored the questions: What meanings are participants deriving from the 5-day residential NorthBay experience? What elements of NorthBay's programming appear to be most powerfully driving identity development and inspiration? Over four weeks of field research, we conducted focus groups and observations throughout the weeklong experience with a subset of participants and administered an end-of-week survey to the entire cohort of participants. Findings suggest that the program yielded positive outcomes related to identity development, including self-awareness, proximal relationships, and relationships with broader systems; and inspiration. The findings also suggest that experiences that take an interpretive approach to EE through thematic communication, intentionally incorporate novel challenges, and emphasize social relationships can create opportunities for students to make meaning relevant to identity development. We discuss the implications of these findings for EE program design and delivery.","abstract_html":"This study aimed to investigate how components of a residential environmental education (EE) program in Maryland USA influence identity development and inspire adolescent youth. Negotiating identity is a key feature of adolescence. However, limited research has focused on how EE programs provoke meaning that influences identity and inspiration. Our mixed methods approach explored the questions: What meanings are participants deriving from the 5-day residential NorthBay experience? What elements of NorthBay's programming appear to be most powerfully driving identity development and inspiration? Over four weeks of field research, we conducted focus groups and observations throughout the weeklong experience with a subset of participants and administered an end-of-week survey to the entire cohort of participants. Findings suggest that the program yielded positive outcomes related to identity development, including self-awareness, proximal relationships, and relationships with broader systems; and inspiration. The findings also suggest that experiences that take an interpretive approach to EE through thematic communication, intentionally incorporate novel challenges, and emphasize social relationships can create opportunities for students to make meaning relevant to identity development. We discuss the implications of these findings for EE program design and delivery.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Crane, Paige Madison Baker"],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Forestry","degree_department":"Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Stern, Marc J."],"committee_members":["Powell, Robert B.","Merritt, Eileen G.","Archibald, Thomas Greig"],"year":2025,"date_issued":"2025-06-10","date_published":"2025-06-10","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:20:37Z","subjects":["Environmental education","field trips","student outcomes","meaning-making","identity","inspiration","interpretation"],"languages":["en"],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:43154"],"render_values":[{"text":"vt_gsexam:43154","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/10919/135464","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Stern, Marc J."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Powell, Robert B.","Merritt, Eileen G.","Archibald, Thomas Greig"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Crane, Paige Madison Baker"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2025-06-11T08:02:05Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2025-06-11T08:02:05Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2025-06-10"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Forestry"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Environmental education","field trips","student outcomes","meaning-making","identity","inspiration","interpretation"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:43154"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/10919/135464"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This study aimed to investigate how components of a residential environmental education (EE) program in Maryland USA influence identity development and inspire adolescent youth. Negotiating identity is a key feature of adolescence. However, limited research has focused on how EE programs provoke meaning that influences identity and inspiration. Our mixed methods approach explored the questions: What meanings are participants deriving from the 5-day residential NorthBay experience? What elements of NorthBay's programming appear to be most powerfully driving identity development and inspiration? Over four weeks of field research, we conducted focus groups and observations throughout the weeklong experience with a subset of participants and administered an end-of-week survey to the entire cohort of participants. Findings suggest that the program yielded positive outcomes related to identity development, including self-awareness, proximal relationships, and relationships with broader systems; and inspiration. The findings also suggest that experiences that take an interpretive approach to EE through thematic communication, intentionally incorporate novel challenges, and emphasize social relationships can create opportunities for students to make meaning relevant to identity development. We discuss the implications of these findings for EE program design and delivery."]},{"key":"dc:description.abstractgeneral","label":"General Abstract","values":["This study aimed to investigate how components of an overnight environmental education (EE) program in Maryland USA influence identity development and inspire adolescent youth. Negotiating identity is a key feature of adolescence. However, limited research has focused on how EE programs provoke meaning that influences identity and inspiration. Our mixed methods approach explored the questions: What meanings are participants deriving from the 5-day residential NorthBay experience? What elements of NorthBay's programming appear to be most powerfully driving identity development and inspiration? Over four weeks of field research, we conducted discussion groups and observations throughout the weeklong experience with a subset of participants and administered an end-of-week survey to the entire cohort of participants. Findings suggest that the program yielded positive outcomes related to identity development, including self-awareness, proximal relationships, and relationships with broader systems; and inspiration. The findings also suggest that experiences that take an interpretive approach to EE through thematic communication, intentionally incorporate novel challenges, and emphasize social relationships can create opportunities for students to make meaning relevant to identity development. 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What elements of NorthBay's programming appear to be most powerfully driving identity development and inspiration? Over four weeks of field research, we conducted discussion groups and observations throughout the weeklong experience with a subset of participants and administered an end-of-week survey to the entire cohort of participants. Findings suggest that the program yielded positive outcomes related to identity development, including self-awareness, proximal relationships, and relationships with broader systems; and inspiration. The findings also suggest that experiences that take an interpretive approach to EE through thematic communication, intentionally incorporate novel challenges, and emphasize social relationships can create opportunities for students to make meaning relevant to identity development. 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